Reasonable distance between spawn point and the target base

[artik]

What is the reasonable distance from the base to put a spawn point?
At what distance between bases shouldn't I put spawn points at all?

I'm talking about SEA terrains not MA?

[Easyscor]

If the terrain will see any use in the AvA, then you might consider about three miles, which is also the minimum distance between bases. That allows fast action in a lightly populated arena, but on the down side, it doesn't force a fight. Where I can, I place some vBases at the minimum distance of 3 miles and let both sides drive through each other. When it works, both bases are flashing.

Ghostdancer will need to give you the official answer for SEA terrains but their criteria are much different then the AvA or MA.

Some terrains have spawn points meeting in empty territory for a "last man standing" scenario (Tunisia, Germany, etc.) They meet some 8(?) miles apart and two opposing groups of GVs are supposed to meet in the middle and kill each other. These are used for some one life FSO type events where you wouldn't want the action to end too quickly. Their only function is to dump two opposing groups of GVs into a sandbox so they can fight it out.

Today's SEC event is another type of scenario, a "king of the hill" that's staged over a city tile instead of a base. There is no local maproom so a capture is out of the question. He is using unlimited lives so the side occupying the City when it's over is the winner.

Karelia is the normal MA scenario with base capture designed for The Stalin's Fourth Scenario.

In summary, it's up to you to decide what type of scenarios and arena you want to support and think through how best to accomplish it.

[artik]

Ok, I'll try to be more specific.

This is the layout of the terrain I'm building:

http://cppcms.com/files/makeahmap/images/isrv1.png

Take a look on the area of 11,10; 12,10; 12,11.

Only 5 of 13 are air bases - Tel-Nof (12,11,9,4), Qastina (12,11,5,9), Ruhama (12,10,8,8), Beer Sheba  (12,10,2,8) and Gaza Strip (11,10,4,4). Bule - IAF/IDF and Greed are REAF and EEF (Egyptian Expeditionary Force)

They are very close, for example Ashdod(12,11,7,3) and Ashelon (12,11,4,2) are about 9 miles apart. Should I put spawns between them or just let the players drive? In real life driving between these two towns takes some boring time (especially with traffic jams) but how would it be in game. It looks like GVs are moving quite fast there.

On the other hand for example Rafah (11,10, 1,9) and El Arish  (10,9,8,1) have some distance to drive.

The expected missions would be capture these GV bases and airfields by Shermans and M-8 with support of air force.

So I wonder what distance would be best... Finally I don't want players to get bored during endless driving. And I don't expect that there would be not enough fighter as finally the primary goal is to capture key bases.

I'm not a GV guy. Yesterday I got killed maybe 30 times trying to fight in GVs (also get few kills in M8  ) so I have no experience in telling what is the appropriate setup.

[ghostdancer]

When it comes to SEA terrains it is sort of up to the designer. Not many SEA events actually incorporate GVs but basically you have two types of GV battles done. A straight capture the base or two bases spawning to a third country base (neutral) for a capture and hold the flag type of combat. Whoever has control of V1 at the end of 60 minutes wins the objective points for it.

In the first scenario as you said you don't want endless driving. So usually you want the spawns a bit closer to the base. In the capture and hold the flag type you want a little more distance so people can maneuver since the objective is to be the person still holding the base at the X time mark. You also have to take into consideration the differing elevation of the terrain that the spawn is on and the base they are trying to capture.

Really rough terrain (steep elevations) I have done 2 miles. Normally 3 miles min and if I want them to have some time to maneuver and try to outflank another force trying to capture the same base usually around 3 miles to 4 miles (just make sure the other countries spawn is of equal distance and over similar terrain if its a capture the flag combat you are going for.

As for driving 9 miles ... I would create a closer spawn. Players in Special Events don't particular care for GVs to begin with on average so a long boring drive doesn't go over well. Usually 3 - 4 miles is enough room to maneuver since the enemy is also 3 to 4 miles away, so a total distance of 6 to 8 miles between them with the base they are trying to capture in the middle.

If it is a straight base against base (no middle base they are competing to capture) I would still spawn instead of a 9 mile drive between them. Easyscor's min of 3 mile is a good rule of thumb unless it is rough terrain (major changes of elevation), on flat terrain I would say no more than 5. Remember some of the heavier tanks I believe only get up to like 25 mph top speed so to cover 5 miles is going to take then 12 minutes of driving (not counting time needed to form up and using cover not to be spotted by planes).

[ghostdancer]

Oh and Easyscor pointed out the AvA and MA are definitely different beasts than the SEA when it comes to GVs. In there if you run into GVs it is because people chose to drive them and like GVs. In the SEA they usually get assigned to drive them and more squads than not don't like driving GVs at all in an event. So keep that in mind when planning things. A joint ops is definitely an interesting idea but you probably want to keep it down to one joint ops mission. This is so that squads who like GVs can volunteer for the tank battles and those that don't aren't forced into one. One mission a frame instead of say like 3 missions allows you to incorporate the mission type into the event easier.

[artik]

Thanks for the points. It looks like 3 miles rule of thumb is reasonable.

A joint ops is definitely an interesting idea but you probably want to keep it down to one joint ops mission. This is so that squads who like GVs can volunteer for the tank battles and those that don't aren't forced into one. One mission a frame instead of say like 3 missions allows you to incorporate the mission type into the event easier.

For SEA I thought of a group who volunteer for GV rides. I seen this is what is done in scenarios were major GV battles are needed. Something like 80/20 where 80 are airforce and 20 ground force with ~x4 lives. I learned that moving squadron from gvs to planes and back isn't fun for many. So probably it is better to assign a GV squadron for entire event.

[ghostdancer]

In the past I did some FSOs where you had 2 squads per side in the GVs for a capture the flag engagement. They went and had to hold the base till I think the T+45 mark or unless other side was completely dead and then I gave them new lives in planes for the rest of the FSO.

Definitely good idea to give the GVs multiple lives if you are going to allow planes to attack them. It would be very frustrating to have only one life in a GV when enemy planes can bomb and strafe you.